posted at 10:01 am on April 26, 2013 by Ed Morrissey

It didn’t take long for Democrats to hit reverse on their effort to exempt Capitol Hill from ObamaCare’s exchange rules. The Hill reports this morning that not only are they no longer seeking an exemption, but that they never sought one in the first place:

Democratic leaders said Thursday they’re not seeking an exemption from a central requirement of ObamaCare — that members of Congress and their staff purchase healthcare coverage through insurance exchanges. …

The healthcare law requires lawmakers and congressional staff to buy their healthcare coverage through the newly created insurance exchanges.

Democrats have raised questions about the mechanics of that requirement, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) both said Thursday they do not believe the mandate should be lifted.

Their lips say no no no, but Politico said yesterday they were eyeing a way to get to yes. Today, Politico follows up with a slightly different explanation from Pelosi’s office than the Hill got:

“Due to vague language inserted in the Affordable Care Act by Senator Chuck Grassley, not all congressional staff and Members of Congress are treated the same under the law,” Hammill wrote, noting that “no one is suggested anyone be ‘exempted’ from the ACA.”

Hammill added that, “Leader Pelosi has suggested as a possible fix to the Grassley language that all Members and all staff (committee, leadership and personal office) be required to choose exchange plans through the Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan. This fix would not require legislation and could be dealt with administratively and would not exempt Members or staff from any part of the ACA.”

Pelosi told reporters Thursday that she has been in “close contact” with her deputy, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), about his talks to tweak health benefits for congressional lawmakers and aides.

“Reading the legislation carefully as to what it calls for and what an exchange is, and what the federal employee health benefit plan is compatible plan under the exchanges, we just have to look at all of that,” Pelosi said.

Did you catch the Clintonian parsing of the word “exchange”? And note how all of this suddenly became Grassley’s fault, in a bill that Democrats pushed through the Senate using the deeply deceptive reconciliation process. They had plenty of time to fix the language and might have done so in an open process, where committees could offer mark-ups and amendments. Instead, Pelosi said this about the process she herself employed to pass ObamaCare:

Maybe we should have found out what was in it first, and maybe the “fog of controversy” was actually rational concern over the intended and unintended consequences of the bill — the latter of which Pelosi and her cohorts were trying to avoid in an under-the-radar exemption.

That effort is dead, at least for the moment. Glenn Reynolds notes, “Shaming works,” but I’d caution that shame on Capitol Hill is a very temporary and curable affliction.

Update: The New York Times thinks Democrats are getting mighty nervous about the rollout of ObamaCare, too — and angry:

Democratic senators, at a caucus meeting with White House officials, expressed concerns on Thursday about how the Obama administration was carrying out the health care law they adopted three years ago.

Democrats in both houses of Congress said some members of their party were getting nervous that they could pay a political price if the rollout of the law was messy or if premiums went up significantly.

According to the NYT report, the White House has finally started to realize that employers will cut hours in order to avoid the costs of ObamaCare, but apparently have no idea how to address it:

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, who is up for re-election next year, said, ”We are hearing from a lot of small businesses in New Hampshire that do not know how to comply with the law.”

In addition, Mrs. Shaheen said, ”restaurants that employ people for about 30 hours a week are trying to figure out whether it would be in their interest to reduce the hours” of those workers, so the restaurants could avoid the law’s requirement to offer health coverage to full-time employees.

The White House officials ”acknowledged that these are real concerns, and that we’ve got to do more to address them,” Mrs. Shaheen said.

Blowback

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Liars, thieves, and smarmy cheats. This bunch bears constant scrutiny and a large dose of sunlight, otherwise, they will cheat and lie their way out of anything. If they were in private industry, they would be fired!

Too soon. They’ll quietly slip it in as an amendment to another bill somewhere along the line.

Liam on April 26, 2013 at 10:18 AM

Or just do it and assume we’re to dumb to notice. They may be right. I just read about the Gang of Eight’s bill. Marco Rubio has been tireless in going on talk radio and telling us that it will take over a decade for the illegals to become citizens. He “forgot” to mention the fast-track provisions for agricultural workers and the so-called DREAMers. Oh! And you could be 63-years old but if you were brought here before you were 16…. You’re still a DREAMer and on the fast track.

Bottom line, millions are poised to be fast-tracked into citizenship and Rubio is a big fat liar. I’m very disappointed in the man.

“Before I get into the complicated layers of issues involved, the bigger picture is this: members of Congress and their staffs are grappling with the type of uncertainty and logistical headaches that individuals and businesses are struggling with as they try to adapt to life under an extremely complex and poorly drafted law.

The essential issue is this. Back in Sept. 2009, when the Finance Committee was drafting its version of the health care bill, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, offered a conceptual amendment that required members of Congress and their staffs to enroll in the health care program being contemplated by Democrats. Beyond the political value, the idea was to make sure that Congress was living under the laws they were imposing on the rest of the country. The conceptual amendment passed, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid inserted the actual language that made it into the law…

If the federal government (acting as employer) cannot provide subsidies to members and their staffs, than how else are they going to get coverage? Under Obamacare, individuals making up to about $46,000 are eligible for at least some subsidy, but individuals who earn more are on their own. Good luck finding qualified people to work long hours for lower pay than they could receive in the private sector if they can’t even get health insurance. Also, under Obamacare, employers who don’t offer health insurance could face fines of $2,000 per employee if any of their employees obtain insurance through an exchange. Does that mean that the federal government (as an employer) would have to pay a mandate penalty for all those Congressional staffers who get health insurance through an exchange?

In other words, this issue was completely caused by the drafting and legislative process employed by Democrats….”

Democrats in both houses of Congress said some members of their party were getting nervous that they could pay a political price if the rollout of the law was messy or if premiums went up significantly.

Liars, thieves, and smarmy cheats. This bunch bears constant scrutiny and a large dose of sunlight, otherwise, they will cheat and lie their way out of anything. If they were in private industry, they would be fired!jailed

ultracon on April 26, 2013 at 10:27 AM

Spot on…..I don’t know why people STILL give these cretins
the benefit of assigning moral Shame to them.

The Nation was tipped off in July 1969, when a certain Senator
from Mass let a woman drown in a black Oldsmobile
to save his Drunk Azz…

They should be, and may be. But the Republicans will find a way to let them off the hook. In return, the Republicans will get exemption from ObamaCare for politicians, which the Democrats wanted to do anyway but will no longer have to take the blame for.

“Reading the legislation carefully as to what it calls for and what an exchange is, and what the federal employee health benefit plan is compatible plan under the exchanges, we just have to look at all of that,” Pelosi said.

So she admits that she didn’t READ the legislation CAREFULLY, before she passed it?

Bottom line, millions are poised to be fast-tracked into citizenship and Rubio is a big fat liar. I’m very disappointed in the man.

Happy Nomad on April 26, 2013 at 10:31 AM

Soon as he became part of a ‘committee’ that got a catchy LSM nickname, I knew he just just another Beltway insider, part of the political/ruling machine.

With these people, especially the long-termers, we will see nothing good for our country ever again. Instead of Bloomberg’s ‘idea’ that we need to re-think our Constitution, we need to re-think exactly what is the best and most efficient way to get rid of politicians like Bloomie and all those in Washington. In addition, we need to deal with those who put them in power so they can never do it again, and be very harsh with their enabling propagandists in the LSM.

The White House officials ”acknowledged that these are real concerns, and that we’ve got to do more to address them,” Mrs. Shaheen said.

What an understatement. As if they care anyway. Nobody wanted this freaking abomination. They forced it down our throats. It was always to be implemented “down the road after whatever next election was coming.” Low info voters were to be fooled into thinking it already was working… when it never had yet. That was the trick and it worked while the thing hadn’t taken effect yet… now it’s about to and they are running scared.

My bet is they will still find a way to exempt themselves. They will set up their own little backdoor health system. The press will help them hide it.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

In addition, Mrs. Shaheen said, ”restaurants that employ people for about 30 hours a week are trying to figure out whether it would be in their interest to reduce the hours” of those workers, so the restaurants could avoid the law’s requirement to offer health coverage to full-time employees.

The Hill reports this morning that not only are they no longer seeking an exemption, but that they never sought one in the first place

Meanwhile, back at the barn, Squealer adds “Some animals are more equal than others” to “All animals are equal”.

The sheep become confused but are convinced that unless they give the fine pigs more and more, lesser pigs will take office. And no one wants lesser pigs in charge. Just think how bad things would be then!

Yep, the only reason they’re retreating from trying to get exemptions is because it was reported by the media and people found out about it. They’ll try again, but will just have to be more discreet about it.

It’s not about shame, it’s about getting caught. None of them know what the heck is going on with this mess of a law, because it is a cobbled-together nightmare that maybe three people have even read all the way through. (And I doubt if Nanzi or Dear Leader are among the three.) I hope it comes back to bite all of their self-righteous, lying, hypocritical, nasty butts.

Democratic senators, at a caucus meeting with White House officials, expressed concerns on Thursday about how the Obama administration was carrying out the health care law they adopted three years ago.

Democrats in both houses of Congress said some members of their party were getting nervous that they could pay a political price if the rollout of the law was messy or if premiums went up significantly.

Love it. They crapped this turd and now they want to blame Obama for not polishing it well enough. Certainly Obama is to blame but so are they.

Democrats in both houses of Congress said some members of their party were getting nervous that they could pay a political price if the rollout of the law was messy or if premiums went up significantly.

If the rollout is messy? What goverment rollout isn’t messy? Dems can survive politically with messy but not messy with 50% increases in premiums. I predict very angry town halls as this proceeds.

Walmart employs a lot of part time help but the part timers who have been there for a year or more usually get 30+ hours a week. Their bonuses are also based on hours worked and 30 hours is one threshold for a higher bonus.

Workers are eligible for health benefits at Walmart but you don’t have to take the benefits and the small out-of-pocket costs that come with it. Even now, workers hours are being cut at Walmart as they hire more workers.

I don’t think the surprise is feigned. I think they operated under the assumption that the public would be so enraptured by all the free stuff they were going to get under Obamacare that employers would have no choice but to go along with the state seizure of one-sixth of the US economy.

Michael Moore said Cuba had a really wonderful system. Maybe Mike could help us to implement this! Mike could put a rider on the immigration bill for “special helpers”.

The Cubans did a great job at raising “revenue” and getting “programs” going in the 1950′s, although their really good guys are probably over the hill, Hugo Chavez probably has experts he could send.

This could be a way to help the Latinos already here find a place and even bring some exciting educated foreigners in! And they could contribute immediately. From being overseas, I could tell you that many socialist governments have special programs to handle vexing opposition or complaints. Other efforts are quickly made to help anyone with money or other assets “the programs” need, homosexuals and even good looking women!

Much friendlier than Americans…they even take people they do not like on camping trips or night rides in the country at random.

…that employers would have no choice but to go along with the state seizure of one-sixth of the US economy.

Happy Nomad on April 26, 2013 at 11:15 AM

I think it’s worse than that. The lefties think, no they don’t think: they feel that private enterprise is an infinite money tree and there are no consequences to taxing at a 100% rate, or even higher. If consequences nevertheless materialize, it is blamed on the bad faith of the greedy.

A furious Levin made the point if Boehner has been “in talks” about the exemption and came out with his statement yesterday, that he should have had that statement in front or cameras after the first meeting. It’s just not the Democrats who “got caught” here.

Shame works on anyone that works in DC? Impossible. It was just that the Boston Bombings, or Sandy Hook, or what stupid thing the Biebs said (for the minds of the LIV), didn’t occupy the broadcasts of the LSM long enough to get this through before we noticed. It will be attempted again the next “man-made disaster(TM)” or “work place violence(TM)” event that happens.

It looks like the current position is “We don’t need an exemption because we just realized under our redefinition of the wording that we were never required to submit to the exchanges in the first place”. Exemption by sophistry.

According to the NYT report, the White House has finally started to realize that employers will cut hours in order to avoid the costs of ObamaCare, but apparently have no idea how to address it:

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, who is up for re-election next year, said, ”We are hearing from a lot of small businesses in New Hampshire that do not know how to comply with the law.”

In addition, Mrs. Shaheen said, ”restaurants that employ people for about 30 hours a week are trying to figure out whether it would be in their interest to reduce the hours” of those workers, so the restaurants could avoid the law’s requirement to offer health coverage to full-time employees.

The White House officials ”acknowledged that these are real concerns, and that we’ve got to do more to address them,” Mrs. Shaheen said

Oh, yes, they have an idea how to address it. This whole thing was set up to fail so the solution could be provided…single payer. They want to shove us all off onto a government health care plan. And probably Hillary, who has wanted it since she “stood by her man” back in the 90′s, is salivating to be the one to implement it when “her term” comes up in 2016.

Pelosi told reporters Thursday that she has been in “close contact” with her deputy, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.)

I’m wondering what ever happened to Pelosi’s driver, Assistant Democratic Leader Jimmy Clyburn (D-SC). I thought he was supposed to have all this power as the #3 Democrat yet we never hear from him (unless he’s claiming someone intentionally spat upon him).

The Democrats jumped head first into this pile of rancid goat dung and now they’re trying to crawl out without getting it on them. Sorry fools, you may extract yourselves but the stench will remain forever.

#3. Pelosi says that adminstratively the Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan will be considered an exchange.
That is what she means by a “tweak”. Absolutely NOTHING will change for Congress and their staff.

And that is why they are dropping the plan to do something through legislation … because they found a way around needing to do so.

AND every one here, apparently, has bought it hook, line, and sinker.

Carnac on April 26, 2013 at 12:28 PM

Amazingly accurate. They brainstormed it; crisis over as far as they’re concerned. If anyone should ask, the can say with a straight face that all of them must go thru the exchange like any other peon.

The Dems on The Hill are nervous about how the Dems in the Executive Branch (WH) are implementing PPACA?

Well, when you input garbage, do not expect filet mignon to output.

BTW, is there anything that happens in DC that is not the fault of the GOP ever. If there was but one Congress-member or Senator that was a Republican, that poor schlub would be blamed for everything, including excessive BO and Halitosis, nation-wide.

…But the Republicans will find a way to let them off the hook. In return, the Republicans will get exemption from ObamaCare for politicians, which the Democrats wanted to do anyway but will no longer have to take the blame for.

That’s what Republicans call smart negotiating tactics.

Fenris

I truly believe that if the phrase “circular firing squad” was in a dictionary somewhere the current Republican Congress would be an accompanying photo.

How have we gotten to this point? We deserve better leadership than we currently have. John Andrew Boehner is a timid, ineffective, unintelligent leader and has got to go along with the rest of the Republican leadership.

Just as I am convinced they will pass that poison pill immigration bill, I am similar convinced they will find some way to accommodate the Democrats on this issue and wind up publicly denounced by the same Dems they will be helping.

There too many tired old white men running the Republican party and they need to go, now, sooner rather than later.

Yep, great job passing something-anything before calm cooler heads could debate and find out what was in the dam* Bill before signing!! This is just a horrible law and I pray that Democrats in the Senate and House pay the price for their stupidity! Fire them!

It’s not about shame, it’s about getting caught. None of them know what the heck is going on with this mess of a law, because it is a cobbled-together nightmare that maybe three people have even read all the way through. (And I doubt if Nanzi or Dear Leader are among the three.) I hope it comes back to bite all of their self-righteous, lying, hypocritical, nasty butts.

Boudica on April 26, 2013 at 11:06 AM

I work at a healthcare company that helps coordinate care for employers who self-fund their plans. I’m happy to say that both our owners read the law from cover to cover when it came out. (One of them was a lawyer who specialized in healthcare law.)

About a month after the law passed, they converted about 2/3 of our employees from salary to hourly. Everyone knows what comes next…